Oil well agitator



July 5, 1932.

W. HORN OIL WELL AGITATOR Filed March 25, 1930 Patented July 5, 1932WILLIAM HORN, OF HABIETTA, OHIO on. WELL aerrn'roa Application filed.March 25,

This invention relates to an improved oil well agitator tool and oneobject of the invention is to provide a device capable of being attachedto a drill stem between the stem and a bit and by means of whichmaterial in the bottom of an oil wellmay be thoroughly agitated and agood flow of oil assured.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purposeof agitating or mixing sand, paraflin, cavings or other sediment whichmay accumulate in the bottom of an oil or gas well so that it can bebailed out with a bailer or sand pump.

Another object of the invention is to so 161 form the agitator that,when it is in use, a pumping action may take place and material of aliquid or semi-liquid nature in the bottom of an oil well alternatelysucked into and forced out of a barrel forming part of the 80attachment. By this arrangement a very thorough agitation will takeplace and the walls of a well and a screen about the lower portion of awell casing kept clear of sand and other substances liable to causeclogging 95 of the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich is eX tremely simple in its construction, very easy to apply andnot liable to get out of order.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the agitator showing portionsthereof in elevation, and

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure1.

The improved oil well agitator is adapted to be suspended from the lowerend of a drill stem or bar 1 and consists briefly of a barrel 2, pistonor plunger 3 and a sub or coupling 4 serving as a closure for the lowerend of the barrel and also constituting a socket or 'coupling forengagement with the upper end of a bit 5.

The barrel consists of a tube formed of steel or any other desiredstrong metal and may be of any length and diameter desired. The tube iscircular in cross section, as shown in Figure 2, and adjacent its upperand lower 5 ends is bored to form side openings 6 and 7.

1880. Serial No. 438,872.

These openings are formed in spaced relation to the upper and lower endsof the barrel and are spaced from each other circumferentially thereof.It will be understood that, while four openings have been shown neareach end of the barrel in the present illustration, any number desiredmay be provided. The upper portion of the barrel above the openings 6 isinternally thickened to form a bushing 8 which fits snugly about thepiston and serves not only as a guide for the piston but alsoconstitutes a closure for the upper end of the barrel about the piston.

The piston is also preferably formed of steel or other strong metal andis of an even 6(- diameter throughout the greater portion of its lengthso that it may slide easily through the bushing 8. The lower end of thepiston is reduced in diameter to form a neck 9 about which are disposeda cup or washer 10 of fiber or any other suitable material and washers11 of steel or other desired metal. These washers are of less diameterthan the fiber cup 10 and serve as reinforcements for the cup. After thecup and washers have been applied, a securing nut 12 is screwed upon theneck in order to firmly clamp the cup and washers in place. In order toprevent the nut from working loose, a cotter key 13 is passed throughthe nut and through an opening drilled transversely through the neck.The upper end of the piston is enlarged to form a head 14 adapted tolimit downward movement of the piston by engagement with the upper endof the barrel and this head has its upper end 15 reduced and threaded sothat it may be screwed into the threaded lower end of the stem or drillbar 1. It will thus be seen that when the device is in use the drillstem or bar may be reciprocated in the well to slide the pistonlongitudinally in the barrel and thereby cause the cup which has firmcontacting engagement with the walls of the barrel to reciprocate in thebarrel and cause the li uid or 05 semi-liquidmaterial-in the bottom of te well to be alternately drawn inwardly through the openings 6 and 7 andforced out of these openings. It will be readily understood that as thepiston moves upwardly the liquid will be we drawn inwardly through theopenings 7 and forced outwardly through the openings 6 and when thepiston moves downwardly the reverse will take place and the liquid willbe 5 drawn inwardly through the openings 6 and forced outwardly throughthe openings 7.

The sub or coupling 4 is provided intermediate its ends with flat sidefaces 15 so that it may be firmly gripped by a wrench and its threadedupper end 16 screwed tightly into the threaded lower end of the barrel.This coupling when in place is disposed beneath the openings 7 and may,therefore, serve to tightly close the lower end of the barrel withoutinterrupting the side openings near the lower end thereof. The lower endof the coupling is bored to form a socket internally threaded, as shownat 17, and into this socket is adapted to be screwed the threaded upper20 end of the bit 5. It will thus be seen that the agitator when in usemay have the up er end of its piston screwed into the lower end of thedrill stem or bar 1 and a bit engaged with the lower end of thecoupling. Therefore,

the device may be easily set in place and no special machinery isnecessary for its operation.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A tool for agitating liquid and fluid materials in shot holes of oilwells comprising an elognated barrel unobstructed internally throughoutits entire length and provided near its opposite ends with perforationsextending through the side walls thereof, said tool being adapted to beinserted in an oil well with the barrel opposite the shot hole of thewell, means closing the lower end of the barrel and holding said barrelin operative position, and a rod mounted for reciprocation within thebarrel and having one end thereof passing through the upper end of saidbarrel for attachment to a drill stem and its other end provided with apiston head frictionally engaging the inner walls of the barrel betweenthe upper and lower perforations therein, said piston head having astroke more than twice the diameter of the barrel but less than theextreme length of said barrel whereby when the piston is reci rocatedliquid and fluid materials in said s 0t hole will be drawn alternatelythrough the upper and lower perforations into the barrel and then forcedoutwardly under pressure directly against the adjacent walls of the shothole to agitate and loosen the material and ermit ready removal thereofwhen said tool is withdrawn from the well.

In testimony whereof I aflix m si 'ature.

c0 WILLIAM HORNY s.]

